The 20 Best Children’s Books Ever – What the Voters Say

5. The Hobbit (Words and Illustrations by JRR Tolkien, 1937)

The classic fantasy novel The Hobbit is set in Middle-earth and follows the journey of the hobbit protagonist Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf and 13 dwarves. During their episodic quest to reclaim the dwarves’ home and treasure, they encounter conflict and danger, and Bilbo gains new levels of maturity and wisdom. Bilbo Baggins, UK-based illustrator Jim Kay, “an unlikely, diminutive protagonist in a beautifully realized world” – the novel is “still a joy to read and rattles along at a wonderful pace”. Children’s author and broadcaster Chris Smith credits The Hobbit with introducing him to a whole new world of reading: “Not only is it a wonderful story for children, it’s also the ultimate gateway book because it opens up the vast world of reading. [sequel] The Lord of the Rings. When my teacher read this book to us in year nine, it blew my mind and started a reading journey that is still powerful and unexpected 40 years later.” Meanwhile, American author Christopher Paolini describes The Hobbit as, as “a perfect tale for children and adults alike. Tolkien captured the magic with it.”

6. Northern Lights (Philip Pullman, 1995)

His Dark Materials, the first part of the Strong Northern Lights trilogy, takes place in a parallel universe ruled by the Magisterium, where Lyra Belacqua – accompanied by her “demon” – travels to the North Pole to find her missing friend Roger and her imprisoned uncle. Lord Asriel, who experimented with a mysterious substance called “Dust”. Pam Dix, president of IBBY UK, recalls how the novel exploded into the world of children’s literature. It combined a multitude of concepts in a format that is more than fantasy, more than historical fiction, a new form. Lisa Sainsbury of the University of Roehampton says: “When Philip Pullman conceived of demons and created a world for them, he evoked one of the most powerful metaphors in children’s literature. Northern Lights (and its dark materials) offers an opportunity to explore demons. childhood and the mysteries of growing up, and returns these experiences through a bold expression of girlhood. The Northern Lights makes childhood important, long after we’ve moved into the realms beyond.” Author and journalist Beverley D’Silva praises the novel as “life-changing, cosmic storytelling”.

7. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (words by CS Lewis; illustrations by Pauline Baynes, 1950)

CS Lewis’ fantasy novel is the first – and most celebrated – of the seven Chronicles of Narnia novels. Narnia, a land of talking animals and mythical creatures ruled by the evil White Witch, is where four English schoolboys find themselves after traveling through the wardrobe of the country house where they are staying. During their adventures, they meet the lion Aslan. “With the publication of the book, we learned that we can enter another world through the back of the wardrobe, and our world was never the same,” says the American author Ellen Kushner. While American author Christopher Paolini writes: “Step through this door into a new world… Isn’t that the basis of so many stories? Lewis captures that feeling perfectly, and his characters are vivid and memorable, just like the land of Narnia. For every great story, the ending is a little it’s bittersweet and makes you long for it.” The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is “just an amazing book,” says Tine Nielsen of the Danish Babel-Bridge Literary Agency, “with so many fascinating characters, so many layers, and so many memories that will last forever.” of your life”.

8. Winnie the Pooh (words by AA Milne; illustrations by EH Shepard, 1926)

Set in the fictional Hundred Acre Forest, the beloved Winnie the Pooh follows the adventures of the anthropomorphic bear Winnie the Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo. Continuation of the House in the Winnie the Pooh garden. “It’s an unforgettable story of friendship,” says Theresa Rogers, professor of education at the University of British Columbia in Canada. “Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and the rest are powerful characters that young readers carry with them throughout their lives (as I do).” Katrin Lilija, editor-in-chief of Iceland’s Lestrarklefinn, also had happy memories of reading the book as she grew up: “Winnie the Pooh is a book I enjoyed as a child with my father. Winnie the Pooh’s innocence has remained with me since my childhood, along with some memorable solutions and misunderstandings that she and the It’s made up of the other animals of a hundred-acre forest. The story of Winnie the Pooh is a book I read to my children.” The British writer MG Leonard is also a fan: “The humour [and] In these tender coming-of-age stories, the perfectly observed idiosyncrasies of each character are second to none. I read these stories, and I read these stories, and I read them to my own children.”